Apparatus for launching planes



y 5, 1931- N. P. CHRISTIANSON 1,803,320

APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING PLANES Filed Oct. 15 1927 //v; E/v TOF? AEAL 5 Paw/.5 7719 m5 ON Patented May 5, 1931 UNITED STATES NEALES P. OHRISTIANSON', OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING PLANES Application filed October 15, 1927. Serial No. 226,337.

The principal object of this invention is to provide means and a method of launching aeroplanes with certainty and securlty, regardless of the condition of the field, the

, weight of the plane and in locations where the length of fields are limited.

Another object is to provide a movable carriage to support and carry the plane, whether of land or water type.

A still further object is to provide a car- 'riage that is capable of attaining great speed after a getaway and stopping w1th1n the length of the field and the tracks provided.

A final object is to provide a smooth launching field with tracks, preferably radiating either from the center, one corner or end of field as well as means for turning and placing the carriage on the desired track,

parallel to the direction of the wind.

In the drawings accompanying th1s application,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a field wlth preferred tracks and table,

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a carriage showing a land plane in position thereon ready for a take off, and

Fig. 3 is a plan of a modificatlon of the location of the turn table and the arrangement of the tracks.

A flying field is outlined at 5 of a smooth floor of concrete or other surfacing preferably crossed by radially disposed tracks 6 from the center of the field at which point is located a turning table 7 provided with a short length of track 8, registering with and adapted to connect vopposed tracks into acontinuous run for the carriage 9 on which is shown a plane 10.

The rails of the tracks 6 are preferably of the grooved type with the tread level with the surface of the field, so that the use of the field for take ofls or landing of land planes is not interfered with, the carriage being provided with flanged wheels 11 to engage the grooves in the rails, and 1s provided with a high powered motor 12, connected by suitable clutch and transmlsslon means, not shown; to one or more pairs of" wheels so that it may be easily started, ac-

celerated and braked to a stop before reachingdthe end of the track on which it is operate To hold the plane upon the carriage floor 13 an abutment 14 is adjustably secured to the floor as shown in dotted lines against which the tail piece rests after the front wheels have been wheeled into contact with the hinged abutment 15, which extends transversely of the floor a sufiicient width to accommodate planes of different treads, this abutment being secured and hinged by the pivoted braces 18 extending below the floor and controlled by a hinged rod 19 preferably extending rearwardly to the drivers seat 20, where it is connected to a lever 21 hinged to the frame and provided with a quadrant 22 engaged by a pawl 23 to lock the abutment in the approximately vertical position, the floor being preferably slightly inclined from the rear to front end.

Adjoining the operators station 20 are the other controls, the operations being after the plane has been lifted or rolled onto the floor, the abutment 15 is raised and locked in position, the abutment 1 1 placed in contact with the tail piece after the wheels or pontoons are abutting 15. Then the carriage motor is started and the carriage with its load run to the turntable, where it is turned to register the desired track for the run, then backed up to the end of the track away from the wind, and the plane motor started and upon a given signal from the pilot to operator, the

latter starts the carriage accelerating, with the plane motor to the speed necessary to lift the plane, and when the latter is ready to soar, the operator releases the abutment 15 to its level position in the floor supported by stop 24, the plane now afloat glides off the floor and is launched, operator slowing down motor, braking and bringing carriage to a stop before reaching the end of the track.

With light loaded planes the carriage could be used with no other power than that of the propulsion of the plane motor alone pulling both to the required speed, the operator only braking the carriage as required.

I claim:

1. In combination, a flying field, a self propelled plane launching carriage adapted to travel on said field, means to support a plane in taking ofi position on said carriage, and means to control the propulsion and movement of said carriage, b anoperator carried in a control station be ow said plane and in rear thereof.

2. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a wheeled carriage adapted to travel on a plane surface provided with a normally flat platform to carry a plane, an abutment in the rear of said platform to hold the tail piece of a plane and a lon transverse hinged abutment adapted to o struct the landing gear of a wheeled or pontoon plane and resist the power exerted by said plane when the plane motor is operating, together with means to release said abutment, under and clear of said platform.

3. An aeroplane launching mechanism comprising a carriage having an inclined platform adapted to travel on a predetermined course, movable and adjustable abutments for confining an aeroplane in launchin position on said platform, and means to re ease said movable abutment to form a fiat launching surface and controlled by an operator carried on said carriage.

NEALES P. C I ISTIANSON. 

